SmartPill Medical Advance Not Hard To Swallow

When a radio receiver is sending out signals as it moves through a human gastrointestinal tract, battery lifetime is a critical parameter. Once SmartPill Corp.’s ingestible capsule is swallowed, it transmits data to a Data Receiver worn by the patient or placed on a nightstand. This data can then be analyzed by physicians. SmartPills typically take a day or two to pass through the patient, so achieving a battery lifetime of 72 hours is critical. The pill, which measures 26 x 13 mm, uses Texas Instruments’ ultra-low power MSP430 to control data acquisition from its sensors and communicate with a wireless transceiver.